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The next time winter rears its ugly head be ready with our fantastic Adult Snow Day game plan. Also this week we've got the story on "The Roommate" at Portland Stage, a Bar Guide review of Emilitsa, a Face the Music preview of a local Dolores O'Riordan tribute show, the debut of our new beer column Tap Lines, concert previews and so much more. Have at it!

About The Author

Carla Jean Lauter

Carla Jean Lauter is a craft beer lover and investigator of all things beer. She started a craft beer website and blog thebeerbabe.com in 2007, sharing her thoughts as she explored what was new in beer, as well as brewery visits, trips and "beer adventures." Moving to Portland in 2009, she found herself surrounded by the Maine beer community and has been exploring it ever since.
In her blog, Carla profiles craft beer (and some mead and cider, too) being brewed in Maine, as well as looks into the people, places and stories behind the beer that makes the community so vibrant. Join Carla on her beer adventures and advice on where to get the best, newest, and most interesting fermented drinks around.
Carla can be contacted at askthebeerbabe [at] gmail.com or on twitter at @beerbabe.
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Happy Birthday to Geary’s Pale Ale

Geary’s Pale Ale turned 28 years old on Dec. 10 – the anniversary marking the first time that pints of this pale ale were pedaled in Portland.

To understand why Geary’s Pale Ale is still a big deal in Maine, you have to understand the climate into which it was released. Maine’s first brewery, D. L. Geary Brewing Company first incorporated in 1983, and sold its first beer in 1986 – these were the days where Anchor Brewing out of San Francisco, Sierra Nevada Brewing in Chico, and Boston Beer Company were just scrounging together their operations. This group would see the craft brewing revolution all the way through to its current trajectory. Having survived the staggering downturn of breweries that happened in the 1990s, Geary’s is, in many ways, responsible for paving a path for the later booms of breweries to come.

Since those first pints, Geary’s has stayed true to their vision, and have made a name for themselves by not falling prey to any short-term trends, bust staying the course with their solidly-crafted brew.

“Our Pale Ale has been more than just our bread and butter – it’s the Geary’s brand,” says brewery founder D. L. Geary, “Nearly 30 years ago I set out to make consistent, quality English-style ales and in perfecting the Pale Ale, this mission has been accomplished.”

If it’s been a while since you’ve had your last Geary’s Pale Ale, expect to find a well-balanced pale ale with enough hops to be interesting, but not overrun with them. This is a more subtle beer than modern Pale Ales, and as a result can be somewhat under-appreciated or even overlooked. On tap widely throughout Portland and available in 6-packs at beer and grocery stores, it isn’t a hard beer to find – if you take the moment to look.

“We’re honored to have been the first in Maine,” says Geary, “and it’s wonderful to be here so many years later still making great craft beer.”